Includes Collaboration On Training And Curriculum To Promote Safety And Professionalism

Jazz Aviation has announced an agreement between the airline's Jazz Aviation Pathway Program ("Jazz APP") and Western University's ("Western") Commercial Aviation Management program.

"The caliber of Western's Commercial Aviation Management program is a tremendous addition to the Jazz APP," said Steven Linthwaite, Vice President, Flight Operations at Jazz. "We're pleased that they share our vision of creating a strong future for the pilot profession in Canada and we look forward to furthering our relationship with Western toward these common goals."

This agreement is the first of its kind between Jazz and Western. The Jazz APP program includes collaboration on training and curriculum to promote safety and professionalism, while providing up-to-date information on industry best practices. The Jazz APP is aimed at establishing a direct career path for qualifying graduates including flight simulator evaluations, student scholarships, and the opportunity for Western's top-performing Commercial Aviation Management graduates to transition to first officer positions at Jazz.

Two awards were created to recognize Jazz's commitment to safety and professionalism:

The Jazz Aviation Pathway Award for Professionalism is awarded to a full-time student in his or her final year of Western's Commercial Aviation Management program for outstanding contributions to safety, leadership and professionalism. The Award consists of a $3000 scholarship and an opportunity to participate in the Jazz Aviation Pathway Program selection process. The award recipients are selected by the Western program chair or designate in consultation with Jazz to ensure the criteria as outlined are respected. On April 2, 2016, Jazz was pleased to award the inaugural Pathway Award for Professionalism at Western to Taylor Elliott of Goderich, ON.

The Jazz Aviation Pathway Award for Professionalism and Diversity is awarded to a full-time student in his or her final year of Western's Commercial Aviation Management program who has self-identified as an Aboriginal, person with a disability, visible minority, or female, for outstanding contributions to safety, leadership and professionalism. The Award consists of a $3000 scholarship and an opportunity to participate in the Jazz Aviation Pathway Program selection process. The award recipients are selected by the Western program chair or designate in consultation with Jazz to ensure the criteria as outlined are respected. On April 2, 2016, Jazz was pleased to award the inaugural Pathway Award for Professionalism and Diversity at Western to Umesh Nileshwar of Toronto, ON.

"Western is very pleased to solidify our relationship with Jazz by providing highly-trained pilots who have completed their university degrees," said Brian Morris, Director, Flight Operations and Industry Liaison with Western's Commercial Aviation Management program. "This agreement is not only a vote of confidence in our program from Jazz, but gives our students the opportunity to take an accelerated path towards a career as an airline pilot."

Since 2007 Jazz has been actively involved in shaping the curriculum and training of Canada's future professional pilots through active engagement with a number of aviation colleges and universities. In 2015, Jazz rebranded these efforts under the Jazz Aviation Pathway Program banner.

(Source: Jazz news release. Images from file)

FMI: www.flyjazz.ca, www.westernu.ca